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APOLLO GROUP, INC.
AMENDED AND RESTATED
2000 STOCK INCENTIVE PLAN
ARTICLE 1
PURPOSE
1.1 GENERAL. The Apollo Group, Inc. 2000 Stock Incentive Plan (the “Plan”)
was previously approved by the Board and the Company’s shareholders. The Plan’s
purpose is to promote the success and enhance the value of Apollo Group, Inc. (the
“Company”) by linking the personal interests of its directors, employees, officers,
and executives of, and consultants and advisors to, the Company to those of Company
shareholders and by providing such individuals with an incentive for outstanding
performance in order to generate superior returns to shareholders of the Company.
The Plan is further intended to provide flexibility to the Company in its ability
to motivate, attract, and retain the services of directors, employees, officers,
and executives of, and consultants and advisors to, the Company upon whose
judgment, interest, and special effort the successful conduct of the Company’s
operation is largely dependent.
ARTICLE 2
EFFECTIVE DATE
2.1 EFFECTIVE DATE. The Plan was originally effective as of August 29,
2000 (the “Effective Date”). The Plan has been amended and restated on several
occasions since the Effective Date. The effective date of this amended and restated
Plan is May 15, 2007.
ARTICLE 3
DEFINITIONS AND CONSTRUCTION
3.1 DEFINITIONS. When a word or phrase appears in this Plan with the
initial letter capitalized, and the word or phrase does not commence a sentence,
the word or phrase shall generally be given the meaning ascribed to it in this
Section or in Sections 1.1 or 2.1 unless a clearly different meaning is required by
the context. The following words and phrases shall have the following meanings:
(a) “Award” means any Option, Stock Appreciation Right, Restricted Stock Award,
Restricted Stock Unit Award, Performance Share Award, or Performance-Based Award
granted to a Participant under the Plan.
(b) “Award Agreement” means any written agreement, contract, or other
instrument or document evidencing an Award.
(c) “Board” means the Board of Directors of the Company.
(d) “Cause” means (except as otherwise provided in an Award Agreement) if the
Committee, in its reasonable and good faith discretion, determines that the
employee, consultant, or advisor (i) fails to substantially perform his duties
(other than as a result of Disability), after the Board or the executive to which
the Participant reports delivers to the Participant a written demand for substantial
performance that specifically identifies the manner in which the Participant has not
substantially performed his duties; (ii) engages in willful misconduct or gross
negligence that is materially injurious to the Company or a Subsidiary; (iii)
breaches his duty of loyalty to the Company or a Subsidiary; (iv) unauthorized
removal from the premises of the Company or a Subsidiary of a document (of any media
or form) relating to the Company or a Subsidiary or the customers of the Company or
a Subsidiary; or (v) has committed a felony or a serious crime involving moral
turpitude.
(e) “Change of Control” means and includes each of the following (except as
otherwise provided in an Award Agreement):
(1) there shall be consummated any consolidation or merger of the Company in
which the Company is not the continuing or surviving entity, or pursuant to which
Stock would be converted into cash, securities or other property, other than a
merger of the Company in which the holders of the Company’s Stock immediately prior
to the merger have the same proportionate ownership of beneficial interest of common
stock or interests of the surviving entity immediately after the merger;
(2) there shall be consummated any sale, lease, exchange or other transfer (in
one transaction or a series of related transactions) of assets aggregating more than
80% of the assets of the Company;
(3) the shareholders of the Company shall approve any plan or proposal for
liquidation or dissolution of the Company;
(4) any person (as such term is used in Section 13(d) and 14(d)(2) of the
Exchange Act), other than (A) an employee benefit plan of the Company or any
Subsidiary or any entity holding shares of capital stock of the Company for or
pursuant to the terms of any such employee benefit plan in its role as an agent or
trustee for such plan, or (B) any affiliate of the Company as of the Effective Date
becomes the beneficial owner (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange
Act) of 50% or more of the Stock; or
(5) during any two-year period, individuals who at the beginning of the period
do not constitute a majority of the Board at the end of such period, unless the
appointment or the nomination for election by the Company’s shareholders of each new
director was approved by a vote of at least two-thirds of the directors then still in office who were directors at the
beginning of the period.
(f) “Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
(g) “Committee” means the committee of the Board described in Article 4.
(h) “Covered Employee” means an Employee who is a “covered employee” within the
meaning of Section 162(m) of the Code.
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(i) “Disability” shall mean any illness or other physical or mental condition
of a Participant which renders the Participant incapable of performing his customary
and usual duties for the Company, or any medically determinable illness or other
physical or mental condition resulting from a bodily injury, disease, or mental
disorder that in the judgment of the Committee is permanent and continuous in
nature. The Committee may require such medical or other evidence as it deems
necessary to judge the nature and permanency of the Participant’s condition.
(j) “Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
(k) “Fair Market Value” means, as of any relevant date, the closing price of
the Stock on that date as reported on the Nasdaq Global Market (or on any other
national securities exchange on which the Stock is at the time listed for trading)
or, if no closing price is reported for that date, the closing price per share of
Stock on the next preceding date for which a closing price was reported.
(l) “Incentive Stock Option” means an Option that is intended to meet the
requirements of Section 422 of the Code or any successor provision thereto.
(m) “Non-Employee Director” means a member of the Board who qualifies as a
“NonEmployee Director” as defined in Rule 16b-3 (b)(3) of the Exchange Act, or any
successor definition adopted by the Board.
(n) “Non-Qualified Stock Option” means an Option that is not intended to be an
Incentive Stock Option.
(o) “Option” means a right granted to a Participant under Article 7 of the Plan
to purchase Stock at a specified price during specified time periods. An Option may
be either an Incentive Stock Option or a Non-Qualified Stock Option.
(p) “Participant” means a person who, as a director, employee, officer, or
executive of, or consultant or advisor providing services to, the Company or any
Subsidiary, has been granted an Award under the Plan.
(q) “Performance-Based Awards” means the Performance Share Awards, Restricted
Stock Awards and Restricted Stock Unit Awards granted to selected Covered Employees
pursuant to Articles 9, 10 and 11, but which are subject to the terms and conditions
set forth in Article 12. All Performance-Based Awards are intended to qualify as
“performance-based compensation” under Section 162(m) of the Code.
(r) “Performance Criteria” means the criteria that the Committee selects for
purposes of establishing the Performance Goals for a Participant for a Performance
Period. The Performance Criteria that will be used to establish Performance Goals
are limited to the following: pre- or after-tax net earnings, sales growth,
operating earnings, operating cash flows, return on net assets, return on
stockholders’ equity, return on assets, return on capital, Stock price growth,
stockholder returns, gross or net profit margin, earnings per share, price per share
of Stock, and market share, any of which may be measured either in absolute terms or
as compared to any incremental increase or as compared to results of a peer group.
The Committee
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shall, within the time prescribed by Section 162(m) of the Code,
define in an objective fashion the manner of calculating the Performance Criteria it
selects to use for such Performance Period for such Participant.
(s) “Performance Goals” means, for a Performance Period, the goals established
in writing by the Committee for the Performance Period based upon the Performance
Criteria. Depending on the Performance Criteria used to establish such Performance
Goals the Performance Goals may be expressed in terms of overall Company performance
or the performance of a division, business unit, or an individual. The Committee,
in its discretion, may, within the time prescribed by Section 162(m) of the Code,
adjust or modify the calculation of Performance Goals for such Performance Period in
order to prevent the dilution or enlargement of the rights of Participants (i) in
the event of, or in anticipation of, any unusual or extraordinary corporate item,
transaction, event, or development, or (ii) in recognition of, or in anticipation
of, any other unusual or nonrecurring events affecting the Company, or the financial
statements of the Company, or in response to, or in anticipation of, changes in
applicable laws, regulations, accounting principles, or business conditions.
(t) “Performance Period” means the one or more periods of time, which may be of
varying and overlapping durations, as the Committee may select, over which the
attainment of one or more Performance Goals will be measured for the purpose of
determining a Participant’s right to, and the payment of, a Performance-Based Award.
(u) “Performance Share” means a right granted to a Participant under Article 9,
to receive cash, Stock, or other Awards, the payment of which is contingent upon
achieving certain Performance Goals established by the Committee.
(v) “Plan” means the Apollo Group, Inc. 2000 Stock Incentive Plan, as amended
and restated.
(w) “Restricted Stock Award” means Stock granted to a Participant under Article
10 that is subject to certain restrictions and to risk of forfeiture.
(x) “Restricted Stock Unit Award” means restricted stock units awarded to a
Participant under Article 11 which will entitle the Participant to receive the
shares of Stock underlying such Award upon the attainment of designated performance
objectives (which may, but need not, include one or more Performance Goals) or the
satisfaction of specified employment or service requirements or upon the expiration
of a designated time period following the vesting of such Award.
(y) “Stock” means Apollo Education Group Class A common stock and such other
securities of the Company that may be substituted for such stock, pursuant to
Article 14.
(z) “Stock Appreciation Right” or “SAR” means a right granted to a Participant
under Article 8 to receive a payment equal to the difference between the Fair Market
Value of a share of Stock as of the date of exercise of the SAR over the grant price
of the SAR, all as determined pursuant to Article 8.
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(aa) “Subsidiary” means any corporation or other entity of which a majority of
the outstanding voting stock or voting power is beneficially owned directly or
indirectly by the Company.
ARTICLE 4
ADMINISTRATION
4.1 COMMITTEE. The Plan shall be administered solely and exclusively by a
Committee appointed by, and serving at the discretion of, the Board. The Committee
shall consist of at least three (3) members, each of whom shall qualify as (i) a
Non-Employee Director) and (ii) an “outside director” under Code Section 162(m) and
the regulations issued thereunder.
4.2 ACTION BY THE COMMITTEE. A majority of the Committee shall constitute
a quorum. The acts of a majority of the members present at any meeting at which a
quorum is present, and acts approved in writing by a majority of the Committee in
lieu of a meeting, shall be deemed the acts of the Committee. Each member of
the Committee is entitled to, in good faith, rely or act upon any report or other
information furnished to that member by any officer or other employee of the Company
or any Subsidiary, the Company’s independent certified public accountants, or any
executive compensation consultant or other professional retained by the Company to
assist in the administration of the Plan.
4.3 AUTHORITY OF COMMITTEE. Subject to any specific designation in the
Plan, the Committee has the exclusive power, authority and discretion to:
(a) Designate Participants to receive Awards;
(b) Determine the type or types of Awards to be granted to each Participant;
(c) Determine the number of Awards to be granted and the number of shares of
Stock to which an Award will relate;
(d) Determine the terms and conditions of any Award granted under the Plan
including but not limited to, the exercise price, grant price, or purchase price,
any restrictions or limitations on the Award, any schedule for lapse of forfeiture
restrictions or restrictions on the exercisability of an Award, and accelerations or
waivers thereof, based in each case on such considerations as the Committee in its
sole discretion determines; provided, however, that the Committee shall not have the
authority to accelerate the vesting or waive the forfeiture of any Performance-Based
Awards;
(e) Amend, modify, or terminate any outstanding Award, with the Participant’s
consent unless the Committee has the authority to amend, modify, or terminate an
Award without the Participant’s consent under any other provision of the Plan.
(f) Determine whether, to what extent, and under what circumstances an Award
may be settled in, or the exercise price of an Award may be paid in, cash, Stock,
other Awards, or other property, or an Award may be canceled, forfeited, or
surrendered;
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(g) Prescribe the form of each Award Agreement, which need not be identical for
each Participant;
(h) Decide all other matters that must be determined in connection with an
Award;
(i) Establish, adopt, or revise any rules and regulations as it may deem
necessary or advisable to administer the Plan; and
(j) Make all other decisions and determinations that may be required under the
Plan or as the Committee deems necessary or advisable to administer the Plan.
4.4 DECISIONS BINDING. The Committee’s interpretation of the Plan, any
Awards granted under the Plan, any Award Agreement and all decisions and
determinations by the Committee with respect to the Plan are final, binding, and
conclusive on all parties.
ARTICLE 5
SHARES SUBJECT TO THE PLAN
5.1 NUMBER OF SHARES. Subject to adjustment as provided in Section 13.1,
the aggregate number of shares of Stock reserved and available for grant under the
Plan shall be 19,079,228 (which number takes into account all stock splits from the
Effective Date through May 15, 2007 and after the conversion of the University of
Phoenix Online common stock into the Stock). Such authorized share reserve
includes an increase of 5,000,000 shares authorized by the Board on May 15, 2007
and approved by the holders of the Company’s Class B common stock, the Company’s
only outstanding voting stock, on May 15, 2007.
5.2 LAPSED AWARDS. To the extent that an Award terminates, expires, or
lapses for any reason, any shares of Stock subject to the Award will again be
available for the grant of an Award under the Plan.
5.3 STOCK DISTRIBUTED. Any Stock distributed pursuant to an Award may
consist, in whole or in part, of authorized and unissued Stock, treasury Stock or
Stock purchased on the open market.
5.4 LIMITATION ON NUMBER OF SHARES SUBJECT TO AWARDS. Notwithstanding any
provision in the Plan to the contrary, and subject to the adjustment in Section
14.1, the maximum aggregate number of shares of Stock with respect to one or more
Awards that may be granted to any one Participant during the Company’s fiscal year
shall be one million (1,000,000).
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ARTICLE 6
ELIGIBILITY AND PARTICIPATION
6.1 ELIGIBILITY.
(a) GENERAL. Persons eligible to participate in this Plan include all
directors, employees, officers, and executives of, and consultants and advisors to,
the Company or a Subsidiary, as determined by the Committee.
(b) FOREIGN PARTICIPANTS. In order to assure the viability of Awards granted
to Participants employed in foreign countries, the Committee may provide for such
special terms as it may consider necessary or appropriate to accommodate differences
in local law, tax policy, or custom. Moreover, the Committee may approve such
supplements to, or amendments, restatements, or alternative versions of the Plan as
it may consider necessary or appropriate for such purposes without thereby affecting the terms of the Plan
as in effect for any other purpose; provided, however, that no such supplements,
amendments, restatements, or alternative versions shall increase the share
limitations contained in Section 5.1 of the Plan.
6.2 ACTUAL PARTICIPATION. Subject to the provisions of the Plan, the
Committee may, from time to time, select from among all eligible individuals, those
to whom Awards shall be granted and shall determine the nature and amount of each
Award. No individual shall have any right to be granted an Award under this Plan.
ARTICLE 7
STOCK OPTIONS
7.1 GENERAL. The Committee is authorized to grant Options to Participants
on the following terms and conditions:
(a) EXERCISE PRICE. The exercise price per share of Stock under an Option
shall be determined by the Committee and set forth in the Award Agreement; provided,
however, that in no event shall the exercise price per share for any Option be less
than the Fair Market Value per share of Stock on the actual grant date of that
Option.
(b) TIME AND CONDITIONS OF EXERCISE. The Committee shall determine the time or
times at which an Option may be exercised in whole or in part. The Committee shall
also determine the performance or other conditions, if any, that must be satisfied
before all or part of an Option may be exercised. Unless otherwise provided in an
Award Agreement, an Option will lapse immediately if a Participant’s employment or
services are terminated for Cause.
(c) PAYMENT. The Committee shall determine the methods by which the exercise
price of an Option may be paid, the form of payment, including, without limitation,
cash, promissory note, shares of Stock (through actual tender or by attestation), or
other property (including broker-assisted “cashless exercise” arrangements), and the
methods by which shares of Stock shall be delivered or deemed to be delivered to
Participants.
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(d) EVIDENCE OF GRANT. All Options shall be evidenced by a written Award
Agreement between the Company and the Participant. The Award Agreement shall
include such additional provisions as may be specified by the Committee.
7.2 INCENTIVE STOCK OPTIONS. Incentive Stock Options shall be granted only
to employees and the terms of any Incentive Stock Options granted under the Plan
must comply with the following additional rules:
(a) EXERCISE PRICE. The exercise price per share of Stock shall be set by the
Committee, provided that the exercise price for any Incentive Stock Option may not
be less than the Fair Market Value as of the date of the grant.
(b) EXERCISE. In no event may any Incentive Stock Option be exercisable for
more than ten years from the date of its grant.
(c) LAPSE OF OPTION. An Incentive Stock Option shall lapse under the following
circumstances.
(1) The Incentive Stock Option shall lapse ten years from the date it is
granted, unless an earlier time is set in the Award Agreement.
(2) The Incentive Stock Option shall lapse upon termination of employment for
Cause or for any other reason, other than the Participant’s death or Disability,
unless otherwise provided in the Award Agreement.
(3) If the Participant terminates employment on account of Disability or death
before the Option lapses pursuant to paragraph (1) or (2) above, the Incentive Stock
Option shall lapse, unless it is previously exercised, on the earlier of (i) the
date on which the Option would have lapsed had the Participant not become Disabled
or lived and had his employment status (i.e., whether the Participant was employed
by the Company on the date of his Disability or death or had previously terminated
employment) remained unchanged; or (ii) 12 months after the date of the
Participant’s termination of employment on account of Disability or death. Upon the
Participant’s Disability or death, any Incentive Stock Options exercisable at the
Participant’s Disability or death may be exercised by the Participant’s legal
representative or representatives, by the person or persons entitled to do so under
the Participant’s last will and testament, or, if the Participant fails to make
testamentary disposition of such Incentive Stock Option or dies intestate, by the
person or persons entitled to receive the Incentive Stock Option under the
applicable laws of descent and distribution.
(d) INDIVIDUAL DOLLAR LIMITATION. The aggregate Fair Market Value (determined
as of the time an Award is made) of all shares of Stock with respect to which
Incentive Stock Options are first exercisable by a Participant in any calendar year
may not exceed $100,000.00 or such other limitation as imposed by Section 422(d) of
the Code, or any successor provision. To the extent that Incentive Stock Options
are first exercisable by a Participant in excess of such limitation, the excess
shall be considered Non-Qualified Stock Options.
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(e) TEN PERCENT OWNERS. An Incentive Stock Option shall be granted to any
individual who, at the date of grant, owns stock possessing more than ten percent of the total combined voting power of all classes of
Stock of the Company only if such Option is granted at a price that is not less than
110% of Fair Market Value on the date of grant and the Option is exercisable for no
more than five years from the date of grant.
(f) EXPIRATION OF INCENTIVE STOCK OPTIONS. No Award of an Incentive Stock
Option may be made pursuant to this Plan after the tenth anniversary of the
Effective Date.
(g) RIGHT TO EXERCISE. During a Participant’s lifetime, an Incentive Stock
Option may be exercised only by the Participant.
ARTICLE 8
STOCK APPRECIATION RIGHTS
8.1 GRANT OF SARS. The Committee is authorized to grant SARs to
Participants on the following terms and conditions:
(a) RIGHT TO PAYMENT. Upon the exercise of a Stock Appreciation Right, the
Participant to whom it is granted has the right to receive the excess, if any, of:
(1) The Fair Market Value of a share of Stock on the date of exercise; over
(2) The exercise price per share of the Stock Appreciation Right as determined
by the Committee, which shall in no event be less than the Fair Market Value per
share of Stock on the actual grant date of that Stock Appreciation Right.
(b) OTHER TERMS. All awards of Stock Appreciation Rights shall be evidenced by
an Award Agreement. The terms, methods of exercise, methods of settlement, form of
consideration payable in settlement, and any other terms and conditions of any Stock
Appreciation Right shall be determined by the Committee at the time of the grant of
the Award and shall be reflected in the Award Agreement.
ARTICLE 9
PERFORMANCE SHARES
9.1 GRANT OF PERFORMANCE SHARES. The Committee is authorized to grant
Performance Shares to Participants on such terms and conditions as may be selected
by the Committee. The Committee shall have the complete discretion to determine
the number of Performance Shares granted to each Participant. All Awards of
Performance Shares shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement.
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9.2 RIGHT TO PAYMENT. A grant of Performance Shares gives the Participant rights,
valued as determined by the Committee, and payable to, or exercisable by, the
Participant to whom the Performance Shares are granted, in whole or in part, as the
Committee shall establish at grant or thereafter. The Committee shall set
performance goals and other terms or conditions to payment of the Performance Shares
in its discretion which, depending on the extent to which they are met, will
determine the number and value of Performance Shares that will be paid to the
Participant.
9.3 OTHER TERMS. Performance Shares may be payable in cash, Stock, or
other property, and have such other terms and conditions as determined by the
Committee and reflected in the Award Agreement.
ARTICLE 10
RESTRICTED STOCK AWARDS
10.1 GRANT OF RESTRICTED STOCK. The Committee is authorized to make Awards
of Restricted Stock to Participants in such amounts and subject to such terms and
conditions as determined by the Committee. All Awards of Restricted Stock shall be
evidenced by a Restricted Stock Award Agreement.
10.2 ISSUANCE AND RESTRICTIONS. Restricted Stock shall be subject to such
restrictions on transferability and other restrictions as the Committee may impose
(including, without limitation, limitations on the right to vote Restricted Stock
or the right to receive dividends on the Restricted Stock). These restrictions may
lapse separately or in combination at such times, under such circumstances, in such
installments, or otherwise, as the Committee determines at the time of the grant of
the Award or thereafter.
10.3 FORFEITURE. Except as otherwise determined by the Committee at the
time of the grant of the Award or thereafter, upon termination of employment during
the applicable restriction period, Restricted Stock that is at that time subject to
restrictions shall be forfeited, provided, however, that the Committee may provide
in any Restricted Stock Award Agreement that restrictions or forfeiture conditions
relating to Restricted Stock will be waived in whole or in part in the event of
terminations resulting from specified causes, and the Committee may in other cases
waive in whole or in part restrictions or forfeiture conditions relating to
Restricted Stock.
10.4 CERTIFICATES FOR RESTRICTED STOCK. Restricted Stock granted under the
Plan may be evidenced in such manner as the Committee shall determine, if
certificates representing shares of Restricted Stock are registered in the name of
the Participant, certificates must bear an appropriate legend referring to the
terms, conditions, and restrictions applicable to such Restricted Stock, and the
Company may, at its discretion, retain physical possession of the certificate until
such time as all applicable restrictions lapse.
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ARTICLE 11
RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT AWARDS
11.1 GRANT OF RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT AWARDS. The Committee is authorized to
grant Restricted Stock Unit Awards to Participants on such terms and conditions as
may be selected by the Committee. The Committee shall have the complete discretion
to determine the number of restricted stock units subject to each such Award. All
Restricted Stock Unit Awards shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement.
11.2 VESTING AND ISSUANCE PROVISIONS.
(a) Shares of Stock issued pursuant to Restricted Stock Unit Awards may, in the
discretion of the Committee, entitle the Participants to receive the shares of Stock
underlying those Awards upon the attainment of designated performance objectives
(which may, but need not, include one or more Performance Goals) or the satisfaction
of specified employment or service requirements or upon the expiration of a
designated time period or the occurrence of a designated event following the vesting
of the Award , including (without limitation) a deferred distribution date following
the termination of the Participant’s employment or service. The vesting and
issuance provisions applicable to each Restricted Stock Unit Award shall be set
forth in the Award Agreement.
(b) The Committee shall also have the discretionary authority, consistent with
Code Section 162(m), to structure one or more Restricted Stock Unit Awards so that
the shares of Common Stock subject to those Awards shall vest upon the achievement
of pre-established corporate performance objectives based on one or more Performance
Goals and measured over the performance period specified by the Committee at the
time of the Award.
(c) The Participant shall not have any stockholder rights with respect to the shares of Stock subject to a Restricted Stock Unit Award until that Award vests and
the shares of Stock are actually issued thereunder. However, dividend-equivalent
units may be paid or credited, either in cash or in actual or phantom shares of
Stock, on outstanding Restricted Stock Unit Awards, subject to such terms and
conditions as the Committee may deem appropriate.
(d) Outstanding Restricted Stock Unit Awards shall automatically terminate, and
no shares of Stock shall actually be issued in satisfaction of those Awards, if the
performance goals or employment or service requirements established for those Awards
are not attained or satisfied. The Committee, however, shall have the discretionary
authority to issue vested shares of Common Stock under one or more outstanding
Restricted Stock Unit Awards as to which the designated performance goals or
employment or service requirements have not been attained or satisfied. However, no
vesting requirements tied to the attainment of Performance Goals may be waived with
respect to Awards which were intended, at the time those Awards were made, to
qualify as performance-based compensation under Code Section 162(m), except as
otherwise provided in Section 11.2(e) or Section 13.8.
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(e) Each Restricted Stock Unit Award outstanding at the time of a Change in Control
shall vest at that time, and the shares of Stock subject to those restricted stock
units shall be issued as soon as administratively practicable following the closing
of the Change in Control transaction, subject to the Company’s collection of all
applicable withholding taxes, or shall otherwise be converted into the right to
receive the same consideration per share of Stock payable to the actual holders of
the Stock in consummation of the Changer in Control and distributed at the same time
as those stockholder payments. Such automatic vesting of the Restricted Stock Unit
Awards shall occur pursuant to this Section 11.(e), even though such acceleration
may result in their loss of performance-based status under Code Section 162(m).
ARTICLE 12
PERFORMANCE-BASED AWARDS
12.1 PURPOSE. The purpose of this Article 12 is to provide the Committee
the ability to qualify the Performance Share Awards under Article 9, the Restricted
Stock Awards under Article 10 and the Restricted Stock Unit Awards under Article 11
as “performance-based compensation” under Section 162(m) of the Code. If the
Committee, in its discretion, decides to grant a Performance-Based Award to a
Covered Employee, the provisions of this Article 12 shall control over any contrary
provision contained in Articles 9, 10 or 11.
12.2 APPLICABILITY. This Article 12 shall apply only to those Covered
Employees selected by the Committee to receive Performance-Based Awards. The
Committee may, in its discretion, grant Restricted Stock Awards, Performance Share
Awards or Restricted Stock Unit Awards to Covered Employees that do not satisfy the
requirements of this Article 12. The designation of a Covered Employee as a
Participant for a Performance Period shall not in any manner entitle the
Participant to receive an Award for the period. Moreover, designation of a Covered
Employee as a Participant for a particular Performance Period shall not require
designation of such Covered Employee as a Participant in any subsequent Performance
Period and designation of one Covered Employee as a Participant shall not require
designation of any other Covered Employees as a Participant in such period or in
any other period.
12.3 DISCRETION OF COMMITTEE WITH RESPECT TO PERFORMANCE AWARDS. With
regard to a particular Performance Period, the Committee shall have full discretion
to select the length of such Performance Period, the type of Performance-Based
Awards to be issued, the kind and/or level of the Performance Goal, and whether the
Performance Goal is to apply to the Company, a Subsidiary or any division or
business unit thereof.
12.4 PAYMENT OF PERFORMANCE AWARDS. Unless otherwise provided in the
relevant Award Agreement, a Participant must be employed by the Company or a
Subsidiary on the last day of the Performance Period to be eligible for a Performance Award for such Performance Period. Furthermore, a
Participant shall be eligible to receive payment under a Performance-Based Award for
a Performance Period only if the Performance Goals for such
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period are achieved. In determining the actual size of an individual
Performance-Based Award, the Committee may reduce or eliminate the amount of the
Performance-Based Award earned for the Performance Period, if in its sole and
absolute discretion, such reduction or elimination is appropriate.
12.5 MAXIMUM AWARD PAYABLE. The aggregate maximum Performance-Based Award
payable to any one Participant under the Plan for Performance Period is one million
(1,000,000) shares of Stock. In the event the Performance-Based Award is paid in
cash, such maximum Performance-Based Award shall be determined by multiplying one
million (1,000,000) by the Fair Market Value of one share of the applicable Stock
as of the date of grant of the Performance-Based Award.
ARTICLE 13
PROVISIONS APPLICABLE TO AWARDS
13.1 STAND-ALONE AND TANDEM AWARDS. Awards granted under the Plan may, in
the discretion of the Committee, be granted either alone, in addition to, or in
tandem with, any other Award granted under the Plan. Awards granted in addition to
or in tandem with other Awards may be granted either at the same time as or at a
different time from the grant of such other Awards.
13.2 EXCHANGE PROVISIONS. The Committee may at any time offer to exchange
or buy out any previously granted Award for a payment in cash, Stock, or another
Award, based on the terms and conditions the Committee determines and communicates
to the Participant at the time the offer is made.
13.3 TERM OF AWARD. The term of each Award shall be for the period as
determined by the Committee, provided that in no event shall the term of any
Incentive Stock Option or a Stock Appreciation Right granted in tandem with the
Incentive Stock Option exceed a period of ten years from the date of its grant.
13.4 FORM OF PAYMENT FOR AWARDS. Subject to the terms of the Plan and any
applicable law or Award Agreement, payments or transfers to be made by the Company
or a Subsidiary on the grant or exercise of an Award may be made in such forms as
the Committee determines at or after the time of grant, including without
limitation, cash, promissory note, Stock, other Awards, or other property, or any
combination, and may be made in a single payment or transfer, in installments, or
on a deferred basis, in each case determined in accordance with rules adopted by
and at the discretion of, the Committee
13.5 LIMITS ON TRANSFER. No right or interest of a Participant in any Award
may be pledged, encumbered, or hypothecated to or in favor of any party other than
the Company or a Subsidiary, or shall be subject to any lien, obligation, or
liability of such Participant to any other party other than the Company or a
Subsidiary. Except as otherwise provided by the Committee, no Award shall be assignable or transferable by a Participant other than by will or the laws of
descent and distribution.
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13.6 BENEFICIARIES. Notwithstanding Section 13.5, a Participant may, in the
manner determined by the Committee, designate a beneficiary to exercise the rights
of the Participant and to receive any distribution with respect to any Award upon
the Participant’s death. A beneficiary, legal guardian, legal representative, or
other person claiming any rights under the Plan is subject to all terms and
conditions of the Plan and any Award Agreement applicable to the Participant,
except to the extent the Plan and Award Agreement otherwise provide, and to any
additional restrictions deemed necessary or appropriate by the Committee. If the
Participant is married, a designation of a person other than the Participant’s
spouse as his beneficiary with respect to more than 50% of the Participant’s
interest in the Award shall not be effective without the written consent of the
Participant’s spouse. If no beneficiary has been designated or survives the
Participant, payment shall be made to the person entitled thereto under the
Participant’s will or the laws of descent and distribution. Subject to the
foregoing, a beneficiary designation may be changed or revoked by a Participant at
any time provided the change or revocation is filed with the Committee.
13.7 STOCK CERTIFICATES. All Stock certificates delivered under the Plan
are subject to any stop-transfer orders and other restrictions as the Committee
deems necessary or advisable to comply with Federal or state securities laws, rules
and regulations and the rules of any national securities exchange or automated
quotation system on with the Stock is listed, quoted, or traded. The Committee may
place legends on any Stock certificate to reference restrictions applicable to the
Stock.
13.8 ACCELERATION UPON A CHANGE OF CONTROL. If a Change of Control occurs,
all outstanding Options, Stock Appreciation Rights, and other Awards that relate to
the grant of Stock shall become fully exercisable and all restrictions on such
outstanding Awards shall lapse. Shares subject to outstanding Restricted Stock Unit
Awards or Performance Share Awards shall vest and become immediately issuable at
the closing of such Change in Control (or shall otherwise be converted into the
right to receive the same consideration per share of Stock payable to the actual
holders of the Stock in consummation of the Changer in Control and distributed at
the same time as those stockholder payments). To the extent that this provision
causes Incentive Stock Options to exceed the dollar limitation set forth in Section
7.2(d), the excess Options shall be deemed to be Non-Qualified Stock Options.
Upon, or in anticipation of, such an event, the Committee may cause every Award
outstanding hereunder to terminate at a specific time in the future and shall give
each Participant the right to exercise such Awards during a period of time as the
Committee, in its sole and absolute discretion, shall determine.
ARTICLE 14
CHANGES IN CAPITAL STRUCTURE
14.1 GENERAL. In the event stock dividend is declared upon the Stock, the
number of shares of Stock then subject to each Award shall be increased
proportionately, and the exercise price or issue price per share (if any) in effect
for that Award shall also be equitably adjusted to reflect such stock dividend:
provided, however, that that the aggregate exercise price or issue price shall
remain the same. Should any change be made to the outstanding Stock by reason of
any stock split or split-up, recapitalization, combination of shares, exchange of shares, spin-off transaction, extraordinary dividend or distribution or other
change affecting the
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outstanding Stock as a class effected without the Company’s
receipt of consideration, or should there occur any merger, consolidation or other
reorganization, then equitable adjustments shall be made by the Committee to the
number and/or class of securities subject to each Award and the exercise price or
issue per share (if any) in effect for that Award in such manner as the Committee
deems appropriate to preclude the dilution or enlargement of rights under such
Award, and such adjustments shall be final, binding and conclusive; provided,
however, that in the event of a Change of Control, the adjustments (if any) shall
be made solely in accordance with the applicable provisions of Section 13.8 the
Plan governing Change of Control transactions. Notwithstanding the above, the
conversion of any convertible securities of the Company shall not be deemed to have
been “effected without the Company’s receipt of consideration.
ARTICLE 15
AMENDMENT, MODIFICATION, AND TERMINATION
15.1 AMENDMENT, MODIFICATION, AND TERMINATION. With the approval of the
Board, at any time and from time to time, the Committee may terminate, amend or
modify the Plan; provided, however, that to the extent necessary and desirable to
comply with any applicable law, regulation, or stock exchange rule, the Company
shall obtain shareholder approval of any Plan amendment in such a manner and to
such a degree as required.
15.2 AWARDS PREVIOUSLY GRANTED. No termination, amendment, or modification
of the Plan shall adversely affect in any material way any Award previously granted
under the Plan, without the written consent of the Participant.
ARTICLE 16
GENERAL PROVISIONS
16.1 NO RIGHTS TO AWARDS. No Participant, employee, or other person shall
have any claim to be granted any Award under the Plan, and neither the Company nor the Committee is obligated to treat Participants, employees, and other
persons uniformly.
16.2 NO SHAREHOLDER RIGHTS. No Award gives the Participant any of the
rights of a shareholder of the Company unless and until shares of Stock are in fact
issued to such person in connection with such Award.
16.3 WITHHOLDING. The Company or any Subsidiary shall have the authority
and the right to deduct or withhold, or require a Participant to remit to the
Company, an amount sufficient to satisfy Federal, state, and local taxes (including
the Participant’s FICA obligation) required by law to be withheld with respect to
any taxable event arising as a result of this Plan. With the Committee’s consent,
a Participant may elect to have the Company withhold from the Stock that would
otherwise be received upon the exercise of any Option or Stock Appreciation Right
or the issuance of Stock pursuant to any vested Restricted Stock Unit Award, a
number of shares of Stock having a Fair Market Value equal to the minimum statutory
amount necessary to
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satisfy the Participant’s applicable federal, state, local and
foreign income and employment tax withholding obligations with respect to such
exercise or issuance.
16.4 NO RIGHT TO EMPLOYMENT OR SERVICES. Nothing in the Plan or any Award
Agreement shall interfere with or limit in any way the right of the Company or any
Subsidiary to terminate any Participant’s employment or services at any time, nor
confer upon any Participant any right to continue in the employ of the Company or
any Subsidiary.
16.5 UNFUNDED STATUS OF AWARDS. The Plan is intended to be an “unfunded”
plan for incentive compensation. With respect to any payments not yet made to a
Participant pursuant to an Award, nothing contained in the Plan or any Award
Agreement shall give the Participant any rights that are greater than those of a
general creditor of the Company or any Subsidiary.
16.6 INDEMNIFICATION. To the extent allowable under applicable law, each
member of the Committee or of the Board shall be indemnified and held harmless by
the Company from any loss, cost, liability, or expense that may be imposed upon or
reasonably incurred by such member in connection with or resulting from any claim,
action, suit, or proceeding to which he or she may be a party or in which he or she
may be involved by reason of any action or failure to act under the Plan and
against and from any and all amounts paid by him or her in satisfaction of judgment
in such action, suit, or proceeding against him or her provided he or she gives the
Company an opportunity, at its own expense, to handle and defend the same before he
or she undertakes to handle and defend it on his or her own behalf. The foregoing
right of indemnification shall not be exclusive of any other rights of
indemnification to which such persons may be entitled under the Company’s Articles
of Incorporation or Bylaws, as a matter of law, or otherwise, or any power that the
Company may have to indemnify them or hold them harmless.
16.7 RELATIONSHIP TO OTHER BENEFITS. No payment under the Plan shall be
taken into account in determining any benefits under any pension, retirement,
savings, profit sharing, group insurance, welfare or other benefit plan of the
Company or any Subsidiary.
16.8 EXPENSES. The expenses of administering the Plan shall be borne by the
Company and its Subsidiaries.
16.9 TITLES AND HEADINGS. The titles and headings of the Sections in the
Plan are for convenience of reference only, and in the event of any conflict, the
text of the Plan, rather than such titles or headings, shall control.
16.10 FRACTIONAL SHARES. No fractional shares of stock shall be issued and
the Committee shall determine, in its discretion, whether cash shall be given in
lieu of fractional shares or whether such fractional shares shall be eliminated by
rounding up or down as appropriate.
16.11 SECURITIES LAW COMPLIANCE. With respect to any person who is, on the
relevant date, obligated to file reports under Section 16 of the Exchange Act,
transactions under this Plan are intended to comply with all applicable conditions
of Rule 16b-3 or its successors under the Exchange Act. To the extent any
provision of the Plan or action by the Committee
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fails to so comply, it shall be
void to the extent permitted by law and voidable as deemed advisable by the
Committee.
16.12 GOVERNMENT AND OTHER REGULATIONS. The obligation of the Company to
make payment of awards in Stock or otherwise shall be subject to all applicable
laws, rules, and regulations, and to such approvals by government agencies as may
be required. The Company shall be under no obligation to register under the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended, any of the shares of Stock paid under the Plan.
If the shares paid under the Plan may in certain circumstances be exempt from
registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the Company may restrict
the transfer of such shares in such manner as it deems advisable to ensure the
availability of any such exemption.
16.13 GOVERNING LAW. The Plan and all Award Agreements shall be construed
in accordance with and governed by the laws of the State of Arizona.
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